The meeting in Luoyang gathered nearly all the influential figures of the court—Yuan Shao, He Yong, Xu You, Pang Ji, and other leading members of the partisan faction.
After their deliberations, He Jin summoned Tian Kai and entrusted him with a mission: to go to Qingzhou and persuade Zhang Xin to return to the capital.
He Jin spoke with apparent sincerity. He acknowledged past misunderstandings and emphasized the unstable state of the empire following the death of Emperor Ling of Han. With a young emperor on the throne, he claimed, the court urgently needed capable ministers like Zhang Xin. He even promised high honors—General of the Guards and a marquisate of ten thousand households—if Zhang Xin would return.
But to Tian Kai, something felt off.
The enmity between Zhang Xin and the court—especially involving Liu Xie and various officials—ran deep. For He Jin to suddenly offer such generous terms seemed too good to be true.
Suspicious, Tian Kai secretly investigated within the General's residence. What he discovered was far more dangerous.
He Jin indeed intended to try recruiting Zhang Xin—but only as a first step. If persuasion failed, execution would follow.
Then came the crucial insight from Xu You.
He pointed out that Zhang Rang had vanished after the late emperor's death. Given Zhang Rang's closeness to the emperor, his disappearance could only mean one thing: he had likely gone to Qingzhou, carrying a secret edict.
Xu You deduced the full picture. The late emperor had probably ordered Zhang Xin to support Liu Xie's claim to the throne. If true, that made Zhang Xin not just a regional governor—but a potential kingmaker.
His strategy was ruthless and precise:
First, summon Zhang Xin with honors. If he obeys, control or eliminate him in the capital. If he refuses, brand him a traitor for defying the imperial edict. Then mobilize all provinces to attack Qingzhou from multiple directions.
Even if Zhang Xin produced a secret edict, Xu You argued, it could simply be declared a forgery—adding to his crimes.
When Tian Kai heard this, he was shaken.
Zhang Xin had once been his superior and had treated him well. He could not bear to become the man who lured him into a death trap. So he devised a risky plan—feigning illness along the journey to break away from his escorts—and rushed ahead to warn Zhang Xin in secret.
After hearing everything, Zhang Xin fell silent.
Xu You's plan was indeed brilliant—and deadly. Qingzhou, lacking natural defenses and surrounded by rival provinces, could not withstand a coordinated assault. Worse, the local gentry already resented Zhang Xin's policies; under imperial pressure, they might revolt from within.
Returning to the capital was suicide.
Defying the edict meant being branded a rebel.
Even the secret edict in his possession was no guarantee—it would only matter if he had the strength to enforce it.
Zhang Xin understood clearly: this was an open trap with no easy escape.
After a long silence, he made his decision.
He retrieved the hidden imperial edict—proof of the late emperor's final command—and showed it to Tian Kai.
The titles written within were extraordinary: General of the Cavalry, Marquis of Champion, authority over the Secretariat. It confirmed Xu You's suspicion—Zhang Xin had indeed been entrusted with immense power.
Tian Kai was stunned.
Zhang Xin, however, remained calm.
He gave Tian Kai a message to take back:
He would not oppose the new emperor—for the sake of stability. But if He Jin resorted to schemes and coercion, then he would have no choice but to raise an army in the name of the emperor.
And then came the warning:
If pushed too far, he would retreat to Henei, summon the Black Mountain Army, and march on Luoyang with overwhelming force.
The meaning was clear.
This was no longer just politics.
It was a countdown to civil war.